After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What quarrel is there between you and me, O king of Judah? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you."
Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Neco had said at God's command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.
Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, "Take me away; I am badly wounded." So they took him out of his chariot, put him in the other chariot he had and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.
Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the men and women singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.
The other events of Josiah's reign and his acts of devotion, according to what is written in the Law of the Lord - all the events, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.
- 2 Chronicles 35:20 - 36:1 (NIV).
(Emphasis in italics my own)
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Notes from the application Bible:35:21-24 Josiah ignored Neco's message because of who Neco was - king of a pagan nation. The mistaken assumption that Neco could not be part of God's larger plan cost Josiah his life. While not everyone who claims to have a message from God really does, God's message s may come in unexpected ways. God has spoken to pagan kings in the past (Genesis 12:17-20, 20:3-7; see also Daniel 4:1-3) Don't let prejudice or false assumption blind you to God's message.
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Personal reflection
Sometimes those of us who had received the Gospel tend to think too highly of ourselves, and may have the thinking that God will only speak to us within the church. Yet Scriptures also reveal that this is not always the case. In having the thinking that God would only reveal His messages only through us, to to put Him in a box and presume too much upon our own logic. Who says Godly wisdom cannot come through pre-believers? Another reminder to myself to be humble when I talk to my non-Christian friends.
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